The European/World Football Thread

I mean I don’t see it as such a problem it would stop it happening.

I don't think anyone would have a lot to say if Klopp threw his hat in the ring for the job.

Banging Asthma clinic round the corner from Wembley too.

Call yourself an England fan! You're not allowed to be happy with an England manager! You have to be calling for them to be replaced, at all times.

If Pochettino became the manager, you'd have to be calling for him to be replaced as well.

Depends what you're looking for I guess.

Statistically, he's one of the best England managers ever, in terms of win percentages, tournament progress etc... basically second only to Alf Ramsey, and the only way to top him is if southgate wins the world cup.

Not that that seems to matter. People want exciting beautiful football.

Though if they had a manager giving them exciting beautiful football, but not winning games or progressing in tournaments, they'd want to replace them too.

He’s done well, I’ll give him that. But he’ll always play too safe in big games. We’ll win nothing with him. 

The problem is that we have invested to the point where the England team itself is now full of quality players that could and should win things. They do at club level. But our managers are not the same standard. 

Look at the competition - Mancini, Luis Enrique, Hansi Flick - these are absolute top level managers that have won numerous titles, cups, European Trophies…meanwhile Southgate’s greatest achievement is getting Boro relegated. 

I like the guy and he has succeeded in making England likeable and competitive. He deserves some credit and respect for that. But the stats ignore a missed opportunity right now to be making more of a mark than we are. 

And yes I’m aware Poch isn’t exactly Mr Trophies, but he’s a different level to Southgate. Again, what’s Southgate’s next job going to be after England? Think we all know it’ll be a mid-table club at best, because that’s frankly his level. 

Eriksson and Capello were also top level trophy winning managers, and they still struggled with an England squad full of star players that were winning all the trophies at club level.

I see Southgate kind of like Joachim Low was for Germany - he was pretty much an unknown, but did well with a talented generation of players and made them a force again, eventually winning the WC after losing out in a couple of finals/semis at major tournaments. Unless England flop badly at the next couple of tournaments, I can see Southgate sticking around for a long while.

I absolutely cannot see an Argentine or German managing England.

Imagine the embarrassing bollocks The Sun will come out with.

I think Klopp and Tuchel would be accepted but anything less and it’d be the full tabloid Dad’s Army treatment.

Southgate’s record is undeniable but being international manager is so different to club management these days. Everyone wants a system and beautiful football but unless you’re able to pull a short cut and draw two thirds of the squad from a couple of clubs thats always going to be a tough ask. The Southgate approach of creating defensive solidity as a base from which a front three can build a platform seems incredibly sensible and clearly works. They were literally two kicks from winning a major tournament afterall. Even if it is also true that he has been overcautious at the same time - but what the reaction have been if they abandoned what got them to the final poured forward like school kids and got repeatedly picked off on the counter by a more level headed opposition? Sack him for ditching a successful plan?

I guess when literally the only games you play that matter are knock out ties then you eventually all you can do is fail in the end.

As an aside - after the indulgence and tabloid hysteria of the Erikson and Capello eras (and false starts that followed) Southgate also has the right personality and approach to grooming the squad as being actual decent well behaved human beings too. And that’s gotta count for something even if some games are predictably boring.

Where would people pitch Southgate if he returned to club management?*

He does still feel like it would be a Villa or Everton, doesn’t it?

*

Yeah I like him but he's regularly shown an inability to seize a game. In the final v Italy we had so much fresh pace on the bench and he didn't use it even when people on the pitch looked dead.

I am definitely happy with Southgate. The England manager job is more than just managing a football team. He handles the British media circus generally with aplomb and has managed to make the players actually seem somewhat at ease playing for their country. When Woy lost to Iceland, the squad and future prospects looked so fucking bleak. We could've had Allardyce for a few years ffs. Southgate has managed that transition brilliantly, cycled out some old dross and managed to cultivate a deep squad, and continues to do so. Ok, the Hungary game is a blip, but he's just lost his first game in absolutely ages. Think he's entitled to a bit of slack.

Looks like Zidane is going to PSG after a breakthrough in negotiations. Could be big, but a big part if Zidanes success was Ronaldo. Can he replicate it with Mbappe

Turned into a rout for England and this was meant to be a tough match.

Nani just signed with Melbourne Victory.